Marvel's "Infinity" FCBD Issue Leaks Online

Marvel's "Infinity" Free Comic Book Day issue is the latest comic to be pirated well in advance of its release.

Last night, Marvel Comics' "Infinity" Free Comic Book Day 2013 issue by Jonathan Hickman and Jim Cheung showed up on filesharing and torrent websites nearly three weeks in advance of its May 4 release date. The Free Comic Book Day issue teases the August launch of Marvel's big "Infinity" summer event, which sees the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy take on Thanos, and includes roughly 18 issues worth of story, including tie-ins.

The scanner, who goes by the alias ScanBro, has a history of uploading comics before their release including this week's "Superior Spider-Man" #8 and "Supergirl" #19. While the source of the scans is currently unknown, the physical issue has already begun arriving in stores so retailers can prepare for Free Comic Book Day.

The monetary impact for a Free Comic Book Day issue leaking online likely isn't as much of an issue as a regular comic, but the breach in security continues to be a concern for retailers, publishers and distributors alike. With more and more high profile releases finding their way online well in advance of their official on sale date, the industry is casting a close eye on how information and advance copies are distributed.